Justin McRoberts

We spend time in the Low because we're human, not because we're broken.In the Low is a collection of contemplative words and images for seasons of depression. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God does: intentionally and without judgment.***For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we're experiencing so we know we're not alone. In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God. Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark."In the Low has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. I'm grateful for the unhurried connection Scott and Justin offer to us through their words, images, and humanity. This one is a must-read for anyone in any kind of low."--Emily P. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk into a Room "This book is not a cure, nor a map to a brighter shore, but a quiet companion for the journey. It shines a subtle light--not to banish the dark but to illuminate it, revealing the fragile beauty in being."--David Gungor, The Brilliance "We humans distract ourselves from ourselves in innumerable ways, not least with our incessant verbosity. With In the Low, Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts have offered the world an artifact of beauty and brevity, ushering us into that chamber of our interior lives that God has occupied from before the foundation of the world."--Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Deepest Place and The Soul of Desire

In this fresh look at finding balance between work and sabbath rest, Justin McRoberts leads readers on their journey from false self to true self, discovering that growth and maturity take root in the knowledge of their belovedness in Christ.In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach.Justin says, "My natural posture is not work, nor is my natural posture rest. My natural posture is belovedness, and both work and rest spring from my belovedness, and return me to it." In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help readers discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father. Readers will learn howSabbath is a gift and a practice that frees us from the anxiety of proving ourselvesThey are loved and valued by God for who and whose they are—not for what they doRest is not the absence of work; it is what gives work meaningWe can love our world and the people in it through what we doWe are not tools in God's tool belt, valued only for our gifts and talents. Nor are we ascetics called to abandon "daily life" to find God in the desert and just sit there. We are beloved by the One who holds all things together . . . including our need to work and our need to rest.

Justin McRoberts dares you to move beyond “it is what it is” thinking and become an agent of love and redemption in your household, neighborhood, and workplace.“It is what it is”—a common phrase you hear and maybe even say yourself. But the truth is that there is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence that simply is what it is. Justin McRoberts invites you to embrace a new mindset: it is what you make of it. With warmth, wisdom, and humor, McRoberts shares key moments from his twenty-plus years as an artist, church planter, pastor, singer-songwriter, author, neighbor, and father, passing on lessons and practices learned about making something good from what you’ve been given rather than simply accepting things as they are. Thought-provoking but actionable, It Is What You Make of It declares that love doesn’t just win, mercy doesn’t just triumph, and light doesn’t just cast out shadow. Rather, such renewal requires the work of human hands and hearts committed to a vision of a world made right (or at least a little better). When we partner with God in these endeavors, we love the world well and honor the Creator in whose image we are made.We will not be remembered for who our parents were or where we were born or what our socioeconomic circumstances were. We won’t be remembered for our natural talents and strengths or the opportunities we were given or the challenges we faced. In the end, each of us will be remembered for what we made with what we were given.

A simple yet profound guide to facilitate the instinctively human desire to pray. We pray because we are human, not because we are religious. Something in our nature points beyond itself; something in us searches for and desires personal connection with God. Although communicating with our Creator through prayer is innate, the effective practice of it often feels just beyond our reach. This unique book guides you to pray in deeper and more authentic ways. The short prayers and thought-provoking imagery, interspersed with contemplative reflections and suggested practices, will stir, inform, and encourage you. The simplicity of the prayers and the aesthetic appeal of the images will inspire people in every facet of life, including those with no real religious background at all.